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Blacklegged tick (*Ixodes scapularis*) surveillance						Print
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										Surveillance for *Ixodes scapularis* and pathogens found in this tick species in the United States [PDF – 37 pages] Print only﻿To access the data used for this dashboard go to data sets.Blacklegged tick (*Ixodes scapularis*) lifecycleIxodes scapularis typically lays eggs in the spring. These hatch into larva in summer. The following spring, nymphs feed and then molt into adults later in the fall. Adults females will seek a blood meal and lay eggs the following spring, completing the lifecycle.
The lifecycle of blacklegged (*Ixodes scapularis*) ticks generally lasts at least two years. During this time, they go through four life stages: egg, larva, nymph, and adult. After the eggs hatch, the ticks must have a blood meal at every stage to survive. Blacklegged ticks can feed from mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. The ticks need a new host at each stage of their life.
							
					
							Last Reviewed:  April 28, 2023						Source: 	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD)
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